Luxembourg Foreign Minister Jean Asselborn was in Indonesia on Monday and Tuesday this week, for meetings with his Indonesian counterpart, Retno Marsudi.
On the occasion, Minister Asselborn introduced the emergency.lu satellite telecommunication platform that can be deployed by air in the event of a humanitarian or natural disaster.
In response to concerns expressed by the Indonesian side about European critics of palm oil, Jean Asselborn suggested the use of "green" funding mechanisms developed by Luxembourg to reduce the carbon footprint of this industry. For example, Green Bonds could help generate investment for bioenergy projects in palm oil crops, thereby helping to reduce greenhouse gas emissions associated with this industry.
Similarly, Jean Asselborn recalled that the Luxembourg Stock Exchange was the first in Europe to enter the sukuk market in 2002 and that the Grand Duchy became the first centre of Islamic finance in Europe.
On the situation in the country, Minister Asselborn recalled that "as a country with the largest Muslim population in the world and a wide variety of cultures, Indonesia has a major role to play to play in promoting pluralism, tolerance and harmony among all races, genders and religions of the world", welcoming the fact that Indonesia is traditionally an ardent supporter of tolerance and understanding between its different communities.
"We face similar challenges in Europe and are equally determined in our fight against those who spread messages of intolerance and hatred,” he added.
Focusing on the human rights situation in the country, Minister Asselborn, while welcoming the positive developments, recalled the concerns of the EU and its Member States, particularly with regard to the restrictions imposed on civil society, the law on blasphemy, the death penalty and the rights of the LGBT community.
Discussions then focused on the major issues of the political news of South East Asia, focusing in particular on the fight against international terrorism and the situation in the China Sea.
Minister Asselborn took advantage of his visit to Jakarta to visit the ASEAN secretariat, which is celebrating its 50th anniversary and the 40th anniversary of its relations with the ASEAN. EU. Jean Asselborn highlighted the strategic interest in strengthening relations between the EU and ASEAN, the main actor of stability in the Asia-Pacific region, highlighting all areas of common interest, including security policies, The fight against terrorism and the socio-cultural field.
